From National Foundation for Danish America – Weekly Update 6. juli 2025
In a heartfelt celebration of enduring transatlantic ties and cultural dedication, Connie Hanson of Glendora, California, has been named Mayor for the Day in Aalborg, Denmark. This is a recognition presented annually by the Dansk Amerikansk Klub to a Danish American who has made significant contributions to fostering friendship between Denmark and North America.
Born and raised in Odense, Denmark, Connie Hanson’s journey reflects a deep commitment to her heritage and community. After beginning her professional life as an apprentice with a shipbroker and working for a home builder in Copenhagen, she moved to Brussels in 1976 to work as a secretary for the European Economic Communities.
Photo of Connie Hanson being presented with “Mayor for the Day” by Aalborg’s Mayor Lasse Frimand Jensen (who is up for re-election soon) and Niels Voigt Guldberg, President of the Dansk Amerikansk Klub.
In 1978, she took a one-year leave through the American Field Service to live and work in the United States – a move that changed her life forever.
While working in a Danish furniture store in California, she met her husband, Kent, with whom she shared more than 40 years of marriage until his passing in 2022. Together, they helped energize and sustain the Danish American community across Southern California. Connie moved to the U.S. permanently in 1980, where she built a successful 32-year career as a real estate broker before retiring.
Connie with U.S. Rebild Vice President, Bruce Bro and with Aalborg Mayor Lasse.
Connie’s enduring service to the Danish American community is remarkable. She served on the Rebild National Park Society Board from 2009 to 2015 and delivered the official “Greetings from Danes in the United States” at the Rebild Festival in 2013. She continues to serve as the Secretary for the Rebild Society’s Southern California Chapter and holds numerous leadership roles in the region’s Danish organizations, including:
- Council President at the Danish Lutheran Church in Yorba Linda, CA
- Co-chair and Treasurer of the Danish National Committee, which has celebrated Constitution Day for over 75 years
- Fund-keeper for the Danish Cheer Committee for the past 16 years
- Past Board Member of the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, IA
Together with Kent, who led the Danish National Committee for over two decades, Connie has been a cornerstone of Danish American cultural life on the West Coast. They have one son, Peter, now married with two children…. the next generation of Danish American heritage bearers.
Her selection as “Mayor for the Day” is part of a long-standing tradition.
Dansk Amerikansk Klub & Their Special Tradition
The Dansk Amerikansk Klub was founded in August of 1922 by Danes who had spent part of their lives in the USA or Canada. The club serves as a gathering place for Danes who have lived in North America or interested parties, to share experiences from abroad. There is also an educational aspect as many lectures are organized around the United States and Canada. To continue strengthening friendships made between Denmark and North America, the club participates in the Rebild Park Society’s 4th of July celebration which includes key impact areas:
- Providing support to young people wanting to study in the USA and Canada through scholarships given at 4th of July and
- Aalborg’s Mayor for a Day.
The Mayor for a Day tradition began in 1928 and has honored individuals like Victor Borge and leaders from the National Foundation for Danish America. Since 1992, honorees have planted a beech tree in Aalborg’s Kildeparken – or “Borgmesterlunden” – a living symbol of transatlantic friendship. A wooden column installed in 1997 lists the names of past honorees.
This year’s announcement and ceremonial events took place on July 3, 2025, with Aalborg Mayor Lasse Frimand Jensen presiding over the official luncheon and tree planting. Connie Hanson received the “ceremonial keys” to the city – in the form of a five-pound 24kt gold necklace to wear for the day and join a distinguished legacy of cultural ambassadors.
As she returned to Denmark for the Rebild festivities, as she has each year since 2009, Connie’s honor is both a personal milestone and a celebration of decades of grassroots diplomacy. With grace, humility, and tireless devotion, she continues to build bridges between the country of her birth and the country she now calls home.
Congratulations to Connie Hanson, Aalborg’s 2025 Mayor for the Day – a title richly deserved.